1. 70-411: Administering Windows Server 2012
Chapter 6
Configure and Manage Group Policies

2. Objective 6.1: Configuring Group Policy Processing

3. Group Policies and GPOs
Group policies are defined using group policy objects (GPOs).
GPOs are the collection of configuration instructions that the computer processes.
To assign a group policy, it is linked to an Active Directory container (site, domain, or organizational unit).
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4. Scoping a GPO Mechanisms for scoping a GPO:
A GPO link to a site, domain, or organizational unit (OU)
The GPO link enabled or disabled
Enforced option of the GPO
The Block Inheritance option of an OU
Security group filtering
WMI filtering
Loopback policy processing
Preferences targeting (discussed in Lesson 22)
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

5. Understanding Group Policy Inheritance
A computer and user can be affected by multiple GPOs. GPOs are processed in the following order:
Local group policy
Site
Domain OU
A Group Policy uses inheritance in which settings are inherited from the container above.
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6. Understanding Group Policy Inheritance
When Active Directory is installed, two domain GPOs are created by default:
Default Domain Policy: Linked to the domain. It affects all users and computers in the domain including domain controllers. It specifies the password, account lockout, and Kerberos policies.
Default Domain Controller Policy: Linked to the Domain Controllers organization unit, which then affects the domain controllers. It contains the default user rights assignments.
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7. Managing Group Policy Links
To disable a group policy for a container, you right-click the GPO for the container and click the Link Enabled link.
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8. Managing Group Policy Links
After a GPO is created, you can:
View the containers that a GPO is linked to by clicking the GPO in Group Policy Management and viewing the Scope tab.
Delete a link to a container for a GPO without deleting the GPO by right-clicking the GPO for a container and clicking Delete. When it asks whether to delete the link, click OK.
Disable the link or delete a link for a container by right-clicking the container in the Scope tab and clicking the Link Enabled option or the Delete Link(s) option.
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9. Using Filtering with Group Policies
The exceptions to the processing of group policies can be modified with these options:
Block inheritance
Enforced
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10. Configuring Blocking of Inheritance
By default, group policies flow down to the lower containers and objects.
To prevent the inheritance of policy settings, block all Group Policy settings from the GPOs linked to parent containers in the Group Policy hierarchy.
GPOs linked directly to the container and GPOs linked to lower containers are unaffected.
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11. Configuring Enforced Policies
By enforcing a GPO link, the GPO takes the highest precedence, which will prevail over any conflicting policy settings in other GPOs.
An enforced link applies to child containers even when those containers are set to Block Inheritance.
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12. Configuring Security Filtering/WMI Filtering
For granular control over who or what receives a group policy, use these filters:
Security group filtering: Uses a security access list (ACL) to determine who can modify or read a policy and who or what a GPO is applied to.
WMI filtering: Uses the WMI Query Language (WQL) to control who or what a GPO is applied to.
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13. Using Security Filtering
Security group filtering specifies which users, computers, or groups based on ACL receive a GPO.
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14. Filtering GPO Scopes Here are the ways to filter GPO scopes:
Remove the Allow Apply group policy permission from a group such as Authenticated Users.
Remove the Authenticated Users group access control entry (ACE), add other groups or users, and assign the Allow Apply group policy permission.
Add ACE for another group, user, or computer and assign the Deny Apply group policy permission. Like NTFS permissions, the Deny settings always supersede any Allow settings granted to a user through membership in another group or to the user directly.
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15. WMI Filtering
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI): A component that extends the Windows Driver Model through an operating system interface that provides information and notification on hardware, software, operating systems, and services.
WMI filtering: Configures a GPO to be applied to certain users or computers based on specific hardware, software, operating systems, and services.
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16. Using WMI Filtering To use WMI filters:
You need to have one domain controller running Windows Server 2003 or higher.
WMI filters will be applied only to computers running Windows XP Professional or newer, or Windows Server 2003 or newer.
All filter criteria must have an outcome of true for the GPO to be applied.
Only one WMI filter can be configured per GPO. After a WMI filter has been created, it can be linked to multiple GPOs.
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17. Configuring Loopback Processing
Group Policy loopback processing is used to assign user policies to computer objects.
No matter who logs on to a computer, the user policies are applied to the computer.
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18. Configuring Loopback Processing
The loopback policy is enabled using the Group Policy Management Editor, specifically the Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy\Configure user Group Policy Loopback processing mode.
After you enable the setting, you have two modes to choose from that specify the loopback processing mode:
Replace mode
Merge mode
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19. Configuring Client-Side Extension Behavior
Client-side extensions (CSEs) are processes that interrupt the settings in a GPO and make the changes to the local computer or the currently logged-on user.
CSEs are triggered when a Group Policy client pulls the GPOs from the domain.
Each major category of policy setting has CSEs.
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20. Configuring Client-Side Extension Behavior
You can configure the behavior of CSEs by using Group Policy, specifically \Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Template\System\Group Policy\.
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21. Configuring/Managing Slow-Link Processing
Group policies executed over slow network links can affect the performance of the client computer, between a site and the corporate office of a site, or the computer being configured via a GPO.
A link is considered slow if the link is less than 500 kilobits per second (kbps).
The Configure Group Policy slow-link detection is used to define what is considered a slow-link connection.
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22. Troubleshooting GPOs
Windows Server 2012 provides the following tools for performing Result Set of Policy (RSoP) analysis:
The Group Policy Results Wizard
The GPResult.exe command
The Group Policy Modeling Wizard
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23. Troubleshooting GPOs
The Group Policy Results Wizard helps you analyze the cumulative effect of GPOs and policy settings on a user or computer.
To run the Group Policy Results Wizard, the following must be true:
The target computer must be online.
You must have administrative credentials on the target computer.
The target computer must run Windows XP or newer.
WMI must be running on the target computer and ports 135 and 445 must be available to access WMI on the target computer.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

24. Objective 6.2: Configuring Group Policy Settings

25. Group Policy Settings
The Computer Configuration node contains settings that are applied to the computer regardless of who logs on to the computer. By default, computer settings are applied when the computer is started.
The User Configuration node contains settings that are applied when the user logs on.
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26. Group Policy Settings
Group policy settings are refreshed every 90 minutes with a random delay of 30 minutes (giving a random range between 90 minutes and 120 minutes).
On domain controllers, group policies get refreshed every 5 minutes.
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27. Computer Configuration\ Policies Nodes
Software Settings
Windows Settings
Administrative Templates
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28. Software Configuration\ Policies Nodes
Software Settings
Windows Settings
Administrative Templates
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29. Software Installation Using Group Policies
Windows Installer: A software component used for the installation, maintenance, and removal of software on Windows.
Microsoft Software Installation (MSI) file: Contains installation information for software.
MSI Transform files: Used to deploy customized MSI files.
MSI Patch files: Used to apply service packs and hot fixes to installed software.
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30. Assigning or Publishing a Package
When you install to a user or computer, you have the option to assign software or publish software with these options:
Assign software to a user
Assign software to a computer
Publish software to a user
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31. Using Folder Redirection
Use Folder Redirection to:
Redirect the content of a certain folder to a network location or to another location on the user’s local computer.
Redirect the Desktop, Start Menu, Documents, Picture, Music, Videos, Favorites, Downloads, and other related folders.
It is found under \User Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings.
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32. Using Scripts with Group Policies
A script is a list of commands that can be executed within a single file, which can perform repetitive tasks.
The Microsoft Windows Script Hosts (WSH) is the component that provides scripting capabilities to Windows.
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33. Types of Scripts © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Computer Scripts
Startup
Shutdown
User Scripts
Logon
Logoff
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34. Managing Administrative Templates
When configuring Administrative Templates, there are three states:
Not Configured: The registry key is not modified or overwritten.
Enabled: The registry key is modified by this setting.
Disabled: The Disabled settings undo a change made by a prior Enabled setting.
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35. The Central Store The Central Store:
Is a folder structure created in the SYSVOL directory on the domain controllers in each domain in your organization.
Is created only on a single domain controller for each domain.
The content of the SYSVOL will be replicated to the other domain controllers.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

36. Security Templates
A security template is a collection of configuration settings stored in a text file with the .inf extension. They can be used to:
Save the security configuration to a file.
Deploy the security settings to a computer or group policy.
Analyze compliance of a computer’s current configuration against the desired configuration.
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37. Custom Administrative Template Files
To make settings in ADMX files available to a GPO, add the Administrative Templates file to the GPO.
If you have older ADM files, either add them to the GPO or convert the ADM file to an ADMX file.
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38. Using ADMX Migrator ADMX Migrator:
Is a snap-in for the MMC that simplifies the process of converting existing Group Policy ADM templates to the new ADMX format.
Provides a graphical user interface for creating and editing Administrative Templates.
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39. Property Filters for Administrative Templates
By default, all policy settings are displayed.
To narrow down the displayed list of settings, use Administrative Templates Property Filters.
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40. Property Filters for Administrative Templates
To filter the settings displayed, select or deselect the following filter options:
Managed or Unmanaged
Configured or Not Configured
Keyword Filters
Requirements Filters
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41. Objective 6.3: Managing Group Policy Objects

42. Backing Up and Restoring GPOs
Back up all GPOs or individual GPOs using the Group Policy Management Console.
Every time a backup is performed, a new backup version of the GPO is created.
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43. Resetting the Default GPOs
The DCGPOFix.exe command can restore either or both the Default Domain Policy or the Default Domain Controllers Policy to their default settings.
You must be a domain administrator to perform this task.
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44. Delegating Group Policy Management
Delegation enables you to give non-domain administrators permissions to manage group policies.
When you grant a person or group permissions to create GPOs, they also are granted permissions to manage the GPOs they created.
To delegate GPO permissions, use the Group Policy Management Console.
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45. Objective 6.4: Configuring Group Policy Preferences

46. Group Policy Preferences
Group Policy Preferences (GPP) are made up of more than 20 new Group Policy client-side extensions (CSEs) that expand the range of configurable settings in a Group Policy object (GPO).
Examples of the new GPP extensions include Folder Options, Drive Maps, Printers, Scheduled Tasks, Services, and Start Menu.
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47. Configuring Preferences Settings
When you create a GPO with preferences, the preferences options are configured much like using Control Panel and Windows Explorer options.
When you need to configure Internet Options, for example, the options you configure will look exactly like the Internet Options found in the Windows Control Panel.
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48. Preferences that Support Editing States
Start Menu settings
Regional and Language settings
Internet options
Folder options
Power options (to include Power Schemes)
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49. Actions for Preferences Settings
Most preferences settings include the following actions:
Create: Create a new preferences setting for the user or computer.
Replace: Delete and re-create a preferences setting for the user or computer. The result is that GPP replaces all existing settings and files associated with the preference item.
Update: Modify an existing preferences setting for the user or computer.
Delete: Remove an existing preferences setting for the user or computer.
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50. Configuring Windows Settings
Preference extensions under Windows Settings include:
Applications extension: Configure settings for applications.
Drive Maps extension: Create, modify, or delete mapped drives, and configure the visibility of all drives.
Environment extension: Create, modify, or delete environment variables.
Files extension: Copy, modify, or delete files or change the attributes of the files.
Folders extension: Create, modify, or delete folders.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

51. Configuring Windows Settings
Preference extensions under Windows Settings include (continued):
Ini Files extension: Add, replace, or delete sections or properties in configuration settings (.ini) or setup information (.inf) files.
Network Shares extension: Create, modify, or unshare shared folders.
Registry extension: Copy registry settings and apply them to other computers. Create, replace, or delete registry settings.
Shortcuts extension: Create, modify, or delete shortcuts.
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52. Configuring Printer Settings
Similar to adding a printer to Windows, you can add a shared printer, a TCP/IP printer, or a local printer.
The Printers preference extension allows you to create, configure, and delete local printers, TCP/IP printers, and Shared Printers Printer preference item.
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53. Configuring Custom Registry Settings
The Registry preference extension allows you to:
Copy registry settings from one computer to another, and to create, replace, or delete an individual registry value.
Create an empty key, delete a key, or delete all values and subkeys in a key.
Create collections or folders to organize the Registry preference items.
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54. Configuring Power Options
The Power Options extension allows you to create and configure Power Plan, Power Options, and Power Scheme preference items.
Power Options and Power Schemes are used with Windows XP and Windows Vista, and Power Plan is used with Windows Vista and later.
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55. Configuring Internet Explorer Settings
The Internet Settings preference extension allows you to
Configure specific configuration of Internet settings, or
Configure an initial configuration of Internet settings, but allow end users to make changes
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56. Item-Level Targeting
Item-level targeting is used to change the scope of individual preference items so that the preference items apply to only selected users or computers.
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57. Targeting Items Computer name Portable computer CPU speed RAM
Date match
User
Disk space
Terminal session
Domain
LDAP query
IP address range
Time range
Network connection
WMI query
Operating system
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58. Targeting Items
Each targeting item results in a value of either true or false.
You can apply multiple targeting items to a preference item and select the logical operation (AND or OR) by which to combine each targeting item with the preceding one.
If the combined value is false, then the settings in the preference item are not applied to the user or computer.
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